On June 20, 1921, the Southern Furniture Exposition opened in High Point.
Designed by William Rose and costing more than $1 million to construct, the 10-story building housed more than 249,000 square feet of exhibition space. At the opening market, 700 dealers sold more than $2 million dollars in merchandise.
High Point emerged as a furniture manufacturing center as early as 1900 owing to the nearby supply of lumber. In 1900, there were 33 furniture plants in the city; by 1904 there were 107. High Point’s proximity to transportation, the availability of a large labor force, its abundance of quality lumber and strong community support fueled its success.
The market, established in 1909 as a modest local effort, was reorganized in 1921 as the Southern Furniture Exposition. It was renamed the International Home Furnishings Market in 1989, and since 2001 it has been known simply as the High Point Market.
Today, the semi-annual furniture market draws as many as 80,000 attendees and encompasses 180 buildings across the city, though its core remains the original 1921 structure with its many additions. It is the largest furniture market in the world, drawing more people than the next four largest furniture markets combined.
For more on the market and the industry, check out articles related to furniture on NCpedia.